MoveOn.org, ColorOfChange.org and NAS to Protest FOX's Racism in NYC

Posted by AlterNet Staff, AlterNet at 5:00 PM on July 22, 2008.

ColorOfChange.org and MoveOn.org Members To Deliver More Than 600,000 petition signatures to FOX headquarters in Manhattan.

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Editor's Note: We just got this press release from our friends at MoveOn.org. If you're in New York, see you there.

Hip hop star Nas will join members of ColorOfChange.org & MoveOn.org on Wednesday to deliver 620,127 petition signatures demanding that FOX end its pattern of racist attacks against Black Americans including presidential candidate Barack Obama and his wife Michelle. The group will make the delivery at 2:00pm on Wednesday, July 23rd at FOX in Manhattan.

Over the last several weeks, FOX has had a string of incidents that many believe are a veiled attempt to prey on racism and intolerance and cast the Obamas as "outsiders": an on-screen graphic referred to Mrs. Obama as "Obama's baby mama," a pundit "confused" Obama with Osama and then joked they should both be assassinated, and an anchor called a loving fist bump between Barack and Michelle a "terrorist fist jab." In February, Bill O'Reilly talked about calling a "lynching party" to deal with Michelle.

The signatures were gathered online over the last month by ColorOfChange.org, a 450,000-member grassroots organization that focuses on issues of importance to the Black community. MoveOn.org and the Brave New Foundation also gathered signatures for the petition. In 2007, the groups led a successful campaign to stop the Congressional Black Caucus Institute from hosting a presidential debate on FOX. The debate was cancelled after major presidential candidates declined to attend.

"FOX poisons the country with racist propaganda and tries to call it news," said Nas. He caught ColorOfChange.org and MoveOn.org's attention with a new song called Sly Fox, which has lyrics like, "Watch what you watchin', FOX keeps feeding us toxins, Stop sleeping, Start thinking" and "I pledge allegiance to the fair and balanced truth/Not the biased truth/Not the liar's truth/But the highest truth." Nas's new album called Untitled was released last week.

"When FOX talks about lynching the woman who may soon be our First Lady and then refers to this wife and mother as a 'baby mama,' they are maligning not only the Obamas, but Black women and Black people across this country," said James Rucker, executive director of ColorOfChange.org. "We have over 600,000 signatures, more than half a million people, saying that we won't stand for FOX's racism and hate-mongering."

PETITION DELIVERY EVENT DETAILS:

Fox - Stop the Racist Smears

Who: Hip Hop artist Nas, ColorOfChange.org & MoveOn.org members in New York City Where: FOX Headquarters, 1211 Ave. of the Americas, Manhattan (48th St. between 6th & 7th Aves.) When: Wednesday, July 23rd, 2:00pm What: Nas joins ColorOfChange.org & MoveOn.org members to present over 600,000 petition signatures demanding that FOX stop its racist smears against the Obamas and other Black Americans.

Tagged as: fox, racism, obama, moveon.org, brave new foundation, nas, colorofchange.org, untitled

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Mikey in Duckcreek [Report this comment] Posted by: duckcreek99 on Jul 23, 2008 5:22 AM Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] I quit watching the network or cable news months ago when the back stabbing and racist remarks started and I have lost almost all of my trust in the news media. There is no room for racist, biased news in America. We must change this country or we will go down--which is approaching faster and faster. The news media does not present what really is happening in this country. Just talk to people, we are all disgusted. Vote incumbents OUT! Do nothing congress must go! Get rid of the electoral college, popular vote is best; we must have term limits. This is not a democracy anymore, only the rich, greedy and powerful rule. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] Wait, look at this from Fox's perspective. [Report this comment] Posted by: KeepsonTickn on Jul 23, 2008 5:47 AM Current rating: 3 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] Hey, it's tough. When you are up against a candidate whose policies -if generally known, would be very popular with the people, and you are desperately searching for anything negative, you just have to get personal. And when the candidate happens to be black, well, the desperate search for negatives is bound to drift into the area of race. It's too tempting. Watch the Fox morning show for a few minutes and you can almost see the vicious thoughts popping into their heads. Face it, careers will be made or broken at Republican headquarters/Fox News, on the basis of who first throws out that great new Swift Boat angle that brings Obama down. So all those would-be anchorpersons have to keep trying... [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] » RE: Wait, look at this from Fox's perspective. Posted by: Lauren Thank you Nas, ColorofChange and MoveOn [Report this comment] Posted by: Namaimo on Jul 23, 2008 8:41 AM Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] This is long overdue, and I am so grateful to you for taking action. I hope this becomes a mass movement. If I were in NYC, I'd join you! [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] » RE: Thank you Nas, ColorofChange and MoveOn Posted by: Lauren Spread the word, boycott Fox till they mend their ways [Report this comment] Posted by: krith on Jul 23, 2008 1:30 PM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] I commend the petitions. Boycott Fox, and deprive them of their bread and better, namely viewers. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] Who do you think you are? [Report this comment] Posted by: rickiey on Jul 23, 2008 5:36 PM Current rating: 2 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] Ya know what? We all agree that Fox's coverage (if you choose to call it that) of Obama is despicable. But I DONT CARE. The lead that Obama has on McCain is completely insurmountable. To suggest that Fox has the ability to change public view to make McSame seem like anything other than, well, himself, is to give Fox WAY too much credit. So I don't buy the "Obama needs the level playing field" bullshit excuse. And what are you trying to excuse? You're trying to excuse allowing outside influences to dictate the content of a media outlet. A McCain presidency immediately following the Bush debacles, is a nightmare. But rather that, than throwing the first amendment out the window. You should all be ashamed of yourselves. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] election will be close [Report this comment] Posted by: whealeydj on Jul 23, 2008 11:19 PM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] Obama is leading in national polls but only by slight margins and what matters is the electoral vote and the ten close states where every vote counts. Repubs have advantage in small states with 3 electoral votes who get disproportinate influence. Morover, republicans have used clearly used voter registration laws in last eight years to Help Republicans Vote...and nobody else with ID and ex-felon laws as well as suspcious electronic sytems designed by Republicans. Obama has to have big margins to overcome Rovian machinations to insure Republican victories. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] and as we now know... [Report this comment] Posted by: zipper696 on Jul 25, 2008 9:55 AM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] The Fox execs retired to their bunker and refused to accept the boxes containing the petition - a typical own goal as every other network then filmed the events, to Fox's chagrin. Naz later appeared on The Colbert Report sitting atop the boxes and had fun with Colbert firing "Right wing" taunts at him. All in all a good day for the 1st Amendment and another black eye for Fakes News. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

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» RE: Wait, look at this from Fox's perspective. Posted by: Lauren

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